Indoor storm curtain



1938. w. o. HIGBY 2,126,328 INDOOR STORM CURTAIN Filed Aug. 26, 1957 e /fl/ 9 E IEI atente rug. 9, l dd llhlllllfll lllll; S'lI' ilRllAl lCiiJld'llllllN Willis fl. Higlry, llurin, N. ll.

Application filugust 26, 1193?, Serial No. ltLlw 6 Claim.

This invention relates to improved means for insulating wall openings in the nature of windows and pertains particularly to an improved curtain for forming such insulation means. 7

The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved curtain structure of transparent material, and means for securing the same upon the inner side of a window, whereby a dead air space will be set up against the inner side of the window glass so as to provide an efiective insulation means for preventing the loss of heat through the window.

llnother object of. the invention is to provide a transparent curtain for the purpose above set forth, in which a novel means is employed for securing the edges of the curtain to the window frame so as to effectively prevent the circulation of air between the curtain and window.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved curtain formed of transparent cellulosic material in the nature of cellophane with novel means for securing the curtain while in use to prevent longitudinal and transverse wrinkling of. the same.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long assuch changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a window showing the device embodying the present iiivention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view upon an enlarged scale of spring holding meansjor the edge of the curtain.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line il-t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of ourtain holding means. I

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I generally designates the frame of a window in which are slidably mounted the usual glass carrying sashes 2.

The curtain structure embodying the present invention is designed to be mounted upon the top cross bar 3 of the frame above the usual shade roller which is generally indicated by the (Cl. ltd-till) to completely cover the window frame, and one end edge of the same is secured to a roller t which has the same construction as the roller commonly employed for carrying a shade, except for the fact that the usual pivoted dogs of the shade roller are removed so that the storm curtain roller can he turned freely, and for facilitating the rolling up of the transparent curtain material thereon it has in the recess "1! which is formed in one end thereof, the usual spring ill which is coupled with the rotatable trunnion t. At the other end of the roller a fixed trunnion it is located, and these trunnions t and it are mounted in the usual shade roll supporting brackets ll.

The transparent curtain carrying roller is mounted, as previously stated, upon the window frame above the usual shade roller ll, and the curtain t is drawn down between the frame and the shade roller, as illustrated. The end of the curtain t opposite from the roller it has secured thereaeross a bar of iron it, or any other suitable heavy material and the ends of this bar extend beyond the side edges of the curtain t and are provided with the apertures l3 to receive the retaining pins it which are secured in the side portions it of. the window frame at the lower ends thereof. By the provision of the bar it at the lower edge of the transparent curtain and the pins it for connection with this bar when the curtain is drawn down, the curtain is securely held against the tension of the wound spring t so that it will be prevented from returning to its rolled-up position and also it will be prevented from developing transverse wrinkles which might otherwise form in the material of which it is formed.

In order to maintain the side edges of the curtain 5 close against the side portions I5 of the window frame, there is provided a series of springs for attachment along the length of the face of each side portion of the frame. Each of these springs comprises a loop of spring wire it which at one end has an eye I! through which a securing screw it is passed. This screw not only fixes the inner end of each spring l6 relative to the adjacent edge of the transparent curtain, but also holds the spring in firmly against the face of the frame so that when the free end of the spring is engaged with the edge of the curtain it will force this edge against the frame and thus set up a relatively tight joint between the frame and curtain.

The free end of each spring wire I6 is provided with a hook I! and formed along each iongitudinal edge of the curtain is a series of apertures 20 each of which is encircled by a suitable annular reinforcement 2| which prevents the hook I! of the spring from tearing the curtain material. The number of apertures 20 along each side of the curtain equals the number of springs attached to the adjacent side of the window frame, and when the curtain is drawn down so that the bar [2 may be engaged with the-retaining pins I4, each aperture 20 will be located adjacent to a spring i8 and the hooked end portion of the adjacent spring is then engaged in the aperture. Since the natural tendency of each spring is to turn or curl in toward the screw I 8 to which it is attached, it will be apparent that the spring must be placed under tension in order to move the hook l9 outwardly for engagement in the adjacent curtain aperture 20 and thus when the spring is released it will tend to pull the curtain toward the screw to which it is attached, and since the springs upon the opposite side are pulling in the opposite direction, it will be apparent that the curtain will be securely held so that the formation of longitudinal wrinkles therein will be prevented. At the same time the springs will act to firmly secure or retain the edges of the curtain against the face of the window frame so as to-prevent the free passage of air and thus the air trapped between the curtain and the window panes will remain stationary and form an effective insulation covering for the window to prevent loss of heat through the same.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of the spring holding means for the edges of the storm curtain.

In this form there is provided a disc 22 of heavy paper -or pasteboard or some other suitable material which carries an adhesive upon one surface so as to facilitate its being secured by this medium to the side portion I5 of the window frame in place of the screw it used for attaching the spring I6. This disc 2| carries a central post 22 to which is attached one end of the spring wire 23, the outer end of which is provided with a hook 24 for use in the same manner described in connection with the spring it. By providing these gummed or adhesive carrying discs the springs may be attached to the faces of the side portions l5 of the window without marring the woodwork and thus if it is desired to remove the curtain this can be done without leaving any holes or other abrasions in the surface of the window.

When it is desired to raise the curtain 5, this may be easily accomplished by disengaging the terminal portions l9 or 24, as the case may be, of the hooks from the apertures 20, and then oscillating the spring body I6 or 23 in a clock-wise er positions over the curtain for engagement in their respective apertures.

As will be readily apparent from the foregoing, a novel feature of the present invention resides in the fact that a storm curtain can be easily and quickly drawn into position across a window when necessary and while it is in use no light will be prevented from entering through the window. The device may also be economically constructed so that it maybe sold at a reasonable price and thus be made available where more expensive storm curtain structures could not be used.

I claim: I

1. An indoor storm curtain for use over wall openings such as windows and the like, comprising a roller adapted to be rotatably supported across the top of said opening, a sheet of transparent material secured along one edge to said roller, a weighted bar secured along the opposite edge of said sheet of material, said sheet of material having reinforced apertures along its side edges, and a plurality of retaining elements for the said side edges of the curtain each comprising securing means for attachment to the side of the opening and a resilient element carried by said means for movement in a plane parallel with the faces of the sheets and adapted to engage in one of said apertures in the sheet and constantly exerting a pull on and transversely of the sheet while maintaining the adjacent edge thereof in contact with the adjacent wall.

2. An indoor storm curtain for use over wall openings such as windows and the like, comprising a roller adapted to be rotatably supported across the top of said opening, a sheet of transparent material secured along one edge to said roller, 8. weighted bar secured along the opposite edgeof said sheet of material, a plurality of retaining units for the said side edges of the curtain each comprising securing means for attachment to the side of the opening and a resilient element carried by such means and formed to swing thereon in a plane parallel with the faces of the sheet having a hook-like terminus, and means adjacent the edges of said sheet for engagement by the said terminus of an adjacent element whereby the resilient element will be under tension when engaging said last means and exert a pull on the sheet to maintain the same taut.

3. An improved curtain of the character described for disposition over a window opening, comprising a supporting roller, a sheet of transparent material secured along one edge to said roller, said sheet of material having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough along each side edge, means at the edge of the material remote from the roller for securing the same to the lower part of a window opening, and means for securing -the said apertured edges of the curtain to the sides of the window opening comprising a plurality of units each consisting of a body adapted to be secured to the side of the window and a resilient wire attached thereto and swingable on a the unit in a plan parallel with the faces of the parent material secured along one edge to said roller, said sheet of material having a plurality oi apertures formed therethrough along each side edge, means at the edge oi! the material remote from the roller for securing the same to the lower part 01 a window opening, and means for securing the said apertured side edges of the curtain to the sides of the window opening comprising a plurality of units each consisting of a securing screw for engagement in the side of the window opening and a flat wire spring having one end attached to said screw and adaptedto be swung thereon in a plane paralleling the faces of. the sheet and secured to the window by the screw and having its other end in the form of a hook adapted for engagement in an adjacent aperture in the curtain and maintained under tension by such engagement.

5. An improved curtain of the character described for disposition over a window opening, comprising a supporting roller, a sheet of transparent material secured along one edge to said roller, said sheet of material having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough along each side edge, means at the edge of the material remote from the roller for securing the same to the lower part 0! a window opening, and means for securing the said apertured side edges of the curtain to the sides or the window opening comprising a plurality of units each consisting of an adhesive carrying disc adapted to be secured to the face of the frame of the window opening, a pin carried by the disk, and a flat wire spring secured at one end to the pin and having its other end formed in a hook for engagement in an adjacent taut when unrolled, a plurality of units secured to the wall structure at each side edge of the sheet, each including an element adapted to engage the curtain and exert a transverse pull thereon in opposition to the opposite units and simultaneously press the adjacent edge of the curtain against the wall structure.

wmus 0. many, 

